Dred and forty-nine two - hundredths to gamaliel c



PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904.'

w. H. SAUVAGE.

AIR BRAKE. l

APPLICATION FILED HAY 1, 1903.

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H0 MODEL.

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No. 752,112. PATBNTBD PEB. 16, 1904.

Y W. H. SAUVAGE.

AIR BRAKE.

urmoyrmn FILED nu 1. 190s. `:sm mmm.. 4 2 SHEETS-sumar zi UNITED STATES Patented February 16, 1904.

PATENT OEEICE.

WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE HUN- DRED AND FORTY-NINE TWO-HUNDREDTHS TO GAMALIEL C. ST. JOHN ANI) GEORGE F. KISSAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AIR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,112, dated February 16, 1904.

Application filed May 1, 1908. `Serial Nb. 155,099. (No model.)

To all wiz/om it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air- Brakes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

In the application of air-brakes to railwaycars it is Well understood that the braking power of the brake system should be properly proportioned to the weight of the car and its load, so that the maximum efliciency may be obtained without locking the wheels of the car so that they shall slide. In the case of passenger-cars the weight ofthe passengers is so small as compared with the weight of the car itself that no special provision needs to be made to compensate for variations in the weight of the car and its load; but in the case of freight-cars the weight of the load oftentimes bears such a large proportionV to the weight of the car-itself that the braking power, which commonly amounts to from sixteen to twenty-three per centuIn of the total Aweight of the car and load, frequently amounts to seventy per centurn of the weight of car without a load. The result is that unless special provision is made the application of the brakes to light cars will lock the wheels so that they slide. In another application of mine, filed April 22, 1903, Serial No. 153,951, there is disclosed a brake system with which through the action of an auxiliary brake-cylinder, the braking power is considerably increased with aless expenditure of air. With that system the main brake-cylinder alone exerts suficient braking power for cars without loads, while .the full braking power of the main brake-cylinder, with the reinforcing means, may be desirable for loaded cars. Them therefore,

such a system as that referred to is to be aption of the auxiliary brake-cylinder or other reinforcing means through the greater or less compression of the springs which-support the car-bod y upon the axles; but owing to the inequality in the distribution of weights in the loading of the car and to the considerable difference in springs, by reason of which some springs are compressed by equal weight much more than others of the same size, it is not always satisfactory to rely upon devices which depend upon the compression of the springs to cut in or cut out the reinforcing means. It is preferable, therefore, vto provide for the control of the reinforcing means by the trainmen and in such a way that the reinforcing means shall be cut out automatically when the car is cnt out of the train and that considerations for their own personal convenience and safety shall induce the trainmen to cut in the reinforcing means when the car is loaded and is cut into a train; otherwise it would frequently happen that the trainmen would forget to cut out the reinforcing' means of an empty car when it is out into the train, with the result that the full brake-power would lock the wheels and cause them to slide.

Accordingly it is the object ofl the present invention to provide means whereby the auxiliary brake-cylinder, as in the system described in the application referred to or other main-brake-reinforcing means, may be cut into operation or cut out of operation, as may'be necessary, and particularly to provide means of such acharacter that'they shall fully 'meet the requirements above referred to.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which for purposes of explanation it is illustrated as embodied in a convenient and practical form.

In the drawings, Figure l is a general dia grammaticor plan view of a brake apparatus which embodies the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view in side elevation and on a larger scale showing the two brake-cylinders and their associated parts. Fig. 3 is a detail view in vertical central section and on a still larger scale of the valve by which the auxiliary cylinder is cut into and out of operation, as required. Fig. 4 is a detail view in section on the plane indicated by the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of the means for controlling the valve shown in Fig. 3.

In order that the present invention may be clearly understood, the general arrangement of the main brake-cylinder and the reinforcing means (in this case an auxiliary brake-cylinder) and their associated parts, as represented in the drawings, will be briefly described, although it is substantially the same as in the other application above referredto, and as far as possible the same letters of reference will be used in the present application as in said former application to identify like parts.

The main brake-cylinder a is connected to the train-pipe and the auxiliary reservoir c through the medium of a triple valve 6l, and the main-cylinder piston a is connected, as usual, by its rod a2 to the main-cylinder lever e and the system of brake-levers. The auxiliary-brake cylinder f has its piston f arranged to act through its rod f2 upon the auxiliary-cylinder lever g, which is connected, as by a link or rod g', with the main-cylinder lever e, the auxiliary cylinder thus acting with a considerably greater leverage than the main cylinder, and therefore with greater power for equal diameters. The auxiliary piston-rod f2 is arranged to engage the auxiliary lever g as the piston-rod begins its forward movement and to move out of the path of the same as it finishes its rearward movement, having for this purpose a cam-slot f3, which engages a supporting-pin t, carried by a bracket L. As fully described in said former application the auxiliary cylinder is arranged to be brought into action through the forward movement of the main brake-cylinder piston a' at the time when the latter has about completed its normal forward movement, and to this end the auxiliary cylinder is Aconnected through apipe with a port in the side wall of the main cylinder, arranged at such a point as to be uncovered by the main-cylinder piston just before it completes its normal forward movement. A cut-ofiA cock 2 may be provided in the pipe c".

In the connection between the main cylinder o and the auxiliary cylinder f is located a valve, which is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4, the purpose of this valve being tofcontrol the admission of air from the main cylinder to the auxiliary cylinder when the port a is open. The action of this valve is controlled in part by the pressure of air in the brake system, preferablyl by the pressure of air in the auxiliary reservoir c, and it is therefore connected with said reservoir, as through apipe c. As shown in Fig. 4, the valve referred to comprises a suitable shell or body m, having within it a check-valve n, which is interposed in the connection of the pipe t' between the main cylinder and the auxiliary cylinder, the port to the main cylinder being shown at 3 and the port to the auxiliary cylinder at if. The check-valve a may be held normally to its seat to prevent the passage of air from the main cylinder to the auxiliary cylinder by a.

spring n or by gravity, if the position of the valve permits. A second check-valve 0 is also provided within the main valve-body m between the port c2, which communicates with the auxiliary reservoir c and a chamber p within the main valve-body m, the check-valve 0 likewise being` held to its seat by a spring 0' or by gravity, according to the position of the valve. The stem n2 of the check-valve n and the stem o2 of the check-valve 0 are both extended upward into the chamber p and through a suitable packing-sheet p, whichv is placed on the Hoor of the chamber. In Vsaid chamber p is placed a plunger q, which is held normally away from the check-valves n and 0 by a spring q or by gravity, as the case may be. The plunger Q is arranged to be moved by external means to slightly open the check-valves n and 0, and for this purpose an independent plunger r may be `located in the end wall of the chamber p, its sleeve projecting through said wall and arranged to be operated by the movement in either direction of adouble levers, located between guidesm on the valve-body m and engaging pins m2 therein. The stem of said lever may be arranged to be operated by the trainman in any convenient manner. Asshown in Fig. 5, it is connected by a link s witha cranked rod z5, which is supported in suitable bearings under the ioor of the car, so that a twisting action shall bevrequired to operate the lever s, and thus distinguish the device from the device usually provided to operate the ordinary bleed-valve. rIhe chamber behind the checkvalve 0 is connected by a suitable channel 03 with a port 0A1 in the side wall* of the chamber p at about a middle point, if the parts are proportioned as shown in Fig.v 4. A leakageport p2 is likewise' provided in the chamber p for a purpose presently' to vbe explained. cut-out valve u, having a by-pass u, is also provided in the connection between the auxiliary reservoir and the check-valveo.

In describing theoperation of the invention it will be assumed first that the several parts of the valve m are in the positions represented in Figs. 3 and 4.4` Under these conditions, as will be seen, no air can pass the check-valve 'n from the main cylinder tothe auxiliary cylinder, and the main cylinder alone therefore is operative, as should be the case when the car is empty. If the car is then loaded and is cut into the train, the trainman, testing the brake apparatus of each car,will discover that the auxiliary cylinder is cut out. To cut in the auxiliary chamber, the rod t is twisted and the lever 8 is thereby rocked in one direction or the other, depressing the plunger r and the plunger q slightly, but enough to open the IOO IOS

IIS

l check-valves a and slightly and to move the l force the plunger q forward to its limit, opening both check-valves wide and at the same time pressing the rings q2 on the under side of the plunger against the packing-sheet p to prevent possible leakage around the stemsof the check-valves against the under side of the plunger. So long therefore as the pressure from the auxiliary7 reservoir rests upon the plunger g so long will both check-valves be held open, so that air can pass the check-valve a from the main cylinder to t-he auxiliary cylinder if the engineer desires to apply the brakes. If with the parts of the valve m in the positions last described the car is cut out of the train to be unloaded, the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir will be gradually reduced by leakage, as is usual, until the pressure on top of the plunger Q is no longer sufficient to hold the plunger and the checkvalves down against the pressure of their respcctive springs. In this case the checkvalves a and o will be returned to their seats, so that the full braking power of both cylinders cannot be exerted should the car be again cut in, unless the trainman has given thoughtful attention to the car and has purposely rocked thelever s to cut in the auxiliary cylinder, as above described. If with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3 Vthere is any leakage of air past the check-valve o into the chambery), such air will escape from the lower part of such chamber through the leakage-port p2, which is provided for the purpose. Again, if the full auxiliary-reservoir pressure lies upon the plunger g and the latter is forced against the check-valves a and 0 to open the same, it will be possible to bleed the chamber p to relieve the pressure and permit the check-valves to close by turning the cock a into such position that the by-pass u may discharge into the open air. By this means not only can the condition of the valve be determined by the trainman, but the auxiliary cylinder can be cut out when required, and this can be done without the loss of more air than is contained at the time in the chamber p.

It will be evident that various modifications in the construction of the valve and. its controlling devices and in the arrangement of the several parts of the brake systemto which it is applied may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention A1. In a huid-pressure brake system,the combination with a brake-lever system, of abrakecylinder, an auxiliary reservoir, means to reinforce the action of the brake-cylinder, a valve to control the action of. the reinforcing means, a plunger to open said valve, manually-operated devices to impart initial movement to the plunger, and means to admit air under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir behind the plunger through a port opened bythe initial movement of the-plunger, substantially as described.

2. In a fluid-pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-lever system, of a brakecylinder, an auxiliary reservoir, means to rel inforce the action of the brake cylinder, a valve arranged to control the action of the reinforcing means, a plunger to open said valve, manual ly-operated devices to impart an initial lmovement to the plunger, means to admit air under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir behind the plunger through a port opened by the initial movement of the plunger, and means to relieve the pressure behind said plunger, substantially as described.

3.' In aiiuid-pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-lever system, of a brakecylinder, an auxiliary reservoir, means to reinforce the action of the brake-cylinder, a valve to control the action of the reinforcing means, a plunger to open said valve, means to admit air under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir behind the plunger, a check-valve included in said means and operated by an initial movement of the plunger, and manually-operated devices to impart the initial movement to the plunger, substantially as described.

4. In a fluid-pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-lever system, of a main brake-cylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder,

an auxiliary reservoir, a valve arranged to con-l trol the action of the auxiliary cylinder, and devices actuated by the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir to hold said valve open,.whereby said auxiliary cylinder is cut out of operation when the pressure inthe auxiliary reservoir is reduced, substantially as described.

5. In aluid-pressure brake system,the combination with a brake-.lever system, of a mai-n brake-cylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder, an auxiliary reservoir, a valve to control the IOO -- action of the auxiliary cylinder, a plunger to open said valve, manually-operated devices to impart an initial movement to the plunger, and means to admit air under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir behind .the plunger through a port opened by the initial movement of the plunger, substantially as described. y

6. In aluid-pressure brake system,the combination with abrake-lever system,- of a brakecylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder, an auxiliary reservoir, aA connection between the main brake-cylinder and the auxiliary cylinder, a check-valve included in said connection, and means operated by the pressure in the auxiliary reservoir tohold said check-valve open, substantially as described.

7. In aiiuid-pressure brake system,the combination with a brake-lever system, of a brakecylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder, an auxiliary reservoir, a connection between the main brake-cylinder and the auxiliary cylinder, a plunger to open .said valve, and means to admit air under pressure from the auxilary reservoir behind the plunger, substantially as described.

8. In a Huid-pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-lever system, of a brakecylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder, an auxiliary reservoir, a connection between the main ybrake-cylinder `and the auxiliary cylinder, a

plunger to open said valve, means to admit air under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir behind the plunger through a port opened by an initial movement of the plunger, and manually-operated means to impart the initial movement to the plunger, substantially as described.

9. In a uid -pressure brake system,the combination witha brake-lever system, of a main brake-cylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder brought into operation by the forward movement of the main-cylinder piston, and independent devices actuated by the pressure in the brake system to control the action of the auxiliary cylinder, substantially as described.

10. In a fluid -pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-lever system, of a main brake-cylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder connected to a port in the side wall of the main cylinder to be brought intooperation through the forward movement of the main-cylinder piston, and independent devices actuated by the pressure in the brake system to control the action of the-auxiliary cylinder, substantially as described.

11. In a fiuid-pressure brake system., the combination with a brake-lever system, of a main brake-cylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder brought into operation by the forward movement of the main-cylinder piston, an independent valve to control the action of the auxiliary cylinder, devices actuated by the pressure in the brake system to hold said valve open, and means to relieve the pressure upon said devices and permit said valve to close, substantially as described.

12. In a fluid-pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-lever system, of a main brake-cylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder connected to a port in the side wall of the main cylinder, a valve to control the action of the auxiliary cylinder, devices actuated by the pressure in the brake system to hold said valve open, and means to relieve the pressure upon said devices to permit said valve to close, substantially as described.

i3. In a fluid-pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-lever system, of a main brake-cylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder connected to a port in the side wall of the main cylinder, an independent valve to control the action of the auxiliary cylinder, a plunger to open said valve, manually-operated devices to impart an initial movement to the plunger, 65

and means to admit air under pressure from the brake system behind the plunger after its forward movement has commenced, substantially as described.

14. In a Huid-pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-lever system, of a main brake-cylinder, an auxiliary brake-cylinder connected to aport in the side wall of the main cylinder, an independent check-valve in the connection between the main cylinder and the auxiliary cylinder, a plunger to open said check-valve, manually-operated devices to impart an initial movement to the plunger, and means to admit air under pressure from the brake system behind the plunger after its forward movement has commenced, substantially as described.

15. In a fluid-pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-cylinder, of a valve adapted to admit air under pressure to the brake-cylinder and comprising a check-valve,

f a plunger to hold the said check-valve open,

manually-operated devices to impart an initial movement to the plunger, and a connection from the brake system to the plunger-chamber through a port opened by the forward movement of the plunger, substantially as described.

16." In a iiuid-pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-cylinder, of a valve adapted to admit air under pressure to the brake-cylinder and comprising a check-valve inthe connection to the brake-cylinder, a second check-valve in a separate connection to the brake system, a plunger to hold both of said check-valves open, manually-operated devices to impart an initial movement to the plunger, and a connection from the second checkvalve to the plungerchamber through a port open ed by the forward movement of the plunger, substantially as described.

17. In a Huid-pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-cylinder, of a valve adapted ,-to admit air under pressure to the brake-cylinder, and comprising a check-valve in the connection to the brake-cylinder, a second check-valve in a separate connection to the brake system, a plunger to hold both of said check-'valves open, manually-operated devices to impart an initial movement to the plunger, a connection from the second check-valve to the plunger-chamber through a port opened by the forward movement of the plunger, and a bleed-valve in the connection to the second check-valve to relieve the pressure behind the plunger, substantially as described. l

This specification signed and witnessed this 24th day of April, A. D. 1903.

WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE.

In presence of ANTHONY N. JESBERA, M. A. BRAYLEY. 

